It Was All Guy's Fault
by Laryna6
Summary: Or perhaps it was really Jade who had started it by putting Luke up to trip him in the spa that time. Regardless, Natalia found it rather amusing to see Luke dashing about in the colonel's dashing uniform.


Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of the Abyss.

A friend of mine, the esteemed Nemi-chan, got every title for Luke but his cooking title. When she went to go look at them in the character disc, she saw an extra, blank line. When she set it to that, instead of Luke appearing on the screen in some outfit Jade appeared in his default outfit.

She then pushed me into writing this small thing, which she said was cute and edited a bit. I really haven't been up to writing lately and I think this is terrible, especially in terms of structure, but she says to post so I shall. Enjoy. Or not.

I'm not sure if it's the weather or stress, but I haven't been up to writing in almost two months now. My health conditions remain... as they were, being chronic and all. I hope I'll be feeling a bit better soon, but I can't make anything resembling a promise, except I'd like to feel better and be able to write as well...

-

It turned out to be Guy's idea, but since Lord Gailardia not only received an imperial pardon but an actual commendation for it there wasn't much Jade could do, although that didn't keep Guy from jumping at the slightest sound or trying to get other people to taste his food for him for a few weeks.

Of course, since a lot of those sounds were either monsters or Luke's nightmares they really were things he should be pay attention to, even if he didn't do anything about the latter but lie there, trying to tell himself that Luke had to tough it out, that Luke didn't want sympathy or to be treated like a kid.

Everyone had expected Luke to catch miasma for it, as the actual perpetrator, but not only did Jade simply dismiss the idea if it was brought up but Luke didn't seem to actually be afraid. Of course, Jade had used Luke to pull a prank on Guy the last time they visited the spa, so perhaps Guy using Luke as the method of his revenge had been expected.

Perhaps Luke had even been meant as a decoy. Regardless, Jade made it clear he knew who to blame, although when Luke left the changing rooms dressed in Jade's uniform, the tights bunched up atop the too tall boots, laughing at himself Tear had immediately assumed it was just Luke being a brat and given chase. Angered for the sake of the colonel's dignity and trying to force Luke to apologize and stop embarrassing them in front of the entire hotel she was quite a sight herself.

If Guy had expected Jade to also chase after Luke he was wrong, as Jade found having nothing to wear but his bathrobe a good reason to not only to stay in the spa but to force Guy, who had been forced into his bartender outfit by Natalia earlier so the hotel staff could wash his clothing, to bring him drinks as he lounged on the poolside.

Natalia had ended up chasing Luke as well, because impersonating an officer of Malkuth could have led to a diplomatic incident.

In fact, it led to an honorary commission (with uniform) and an offer to make it non-honorary from Peony, which was even worse.

Luke had tried to turn it down but, really, it took skill to put one over on the colonel. Peony was highly amused, and when Natalia declined the offer to wear the uniform of another country's army she was instead given a rather flattering Kimlascan uniform, which she was entitled to wear even though the rank was really just honorary (she was a princess, after all).

Anise was rather amused when she pointed out that since Asch had been fired long ago for conduct unbecoming he was no longer a general or even a solider, and now Luke was one. In his own right as viscount, even, Jade told them, regardless of Luke's 'stolen' princedom.

Peony responded to this by granting Luke a promotion to general, meaning he technically was now Jade's superior officer.

They would have expected Jade to take exception to that as well, but he continued to act as oddly non-biting towards Luke as Luke was acting oddly, almost creepily cheerful.

Then they found out that Luke was dying and Jade had known all along, which… Explained everything, really.


End file.
